Road Safety Week, the annual event organised by the road safety charity Brake, takes place this year between 17th – 23rd November 2024. There can’t be many people in the UK who haven’t been exposed to campaigns, adverts and messages promoting road safety and safer driving, or warning of the consequences of careless or reckless behaviour behind the wheel. Most of us have come across these powerful road safety messages – whether it’s a billboard by the highway, a poster at a bus stop, or a hard-hitting TV advert. Nevertheless, despite years of warnings, people are still killed or injured in road traffic accidents every day.

In this article, private plate supplier Regtransfers looks at the history and importance of road safety adverts over the years, their impact on our attitudes toward driving and how the messaging has changed with the times.

The Human Cost

Today, five lives are lost on UK roads daily, and every 17 minutes, someone faces a serious or fatal injury. In 2023 alone, 1,695 lives were lost, and over 28,000 people suffered life-altering injuries.

There has been some decrease in the number of road casualties over time, but that drop seems very modest. The decrease in the number of road deaths between 2022 and 2023 was 5%, but the decrease over the entire period 2014 – 2023 was only 8.6%.

Of course, when considering the statistics, it’s important to keep in mind that the number of vehicles and vehicle journeys has grown enormously since 2014. According to government data, 35.6 million vehicles were licensed for use in the UK in 2014, and 41.2 million in 2023. 

The number of vehicle miles driven in 2014 was 311 billion, and in 2023 the total was 330.8 billion.

With that many cars on the road, safety becomes a matter of national importance, and the road safety advert has been a longstanding pillar of communicating hazards and inciting changes in attitudes toward road use.

Getting the message out

The Early Days: 1950s–1970s

Britain’s road safety campaigns stretch back decades, starting with ads that were simple but direct. In 1953, Tufty the Squirrel appeared on TV and in schools to teach children how to cross roads safely. Through The Tufty Club, kids learned the basics of road awareness – an important message as more cars began to hit the roads.

By the 1960s and ‘70s, campaigns focussing on seat belts began rolling out. These ads were serious but straightforward, aiming to create a habit of buckling up every time. It was a time when road safety messaging started to feel a bit more intense. More importantly, perhaps, these adverts sparked a much-needed change in road laws.

Seat Belt Laws and Changing Attitudes

The 1980s marked a dramatic change in road safety rules, especially concerning seat belts. This shift didn’t happen overnight. Years of campaigning led to the landmark 1983 law requiring drivers and front-seat passengers to wear seat belts.. This was a monumental shift, supported by campaigns like The Blunders, which aired in the same year and showed a fictional family’s poor driving decisions leading to disastrous results.

Further changes came in the years that followed. By 1989, children aged 14 and under were required to wear a seat belt when in the back seats, and in 1991, it became mandatory for all adults to wear a seat belt in the back seats as well. These laws reinforced the messages from years of campaigns, highlighting the dangers of unrestrained passengers. Today, failure to wear a seat belt can lead to a fine of up to £500.

Shock Tactics of the 1980s

Alongside seat belt laws, the ‘80s saw a rise in hard-hitting, emotionally charged ads that aimed to shock viewers into changing their behaviour. One early example was “Think Before You Drink Before You Drive,” a campaign that used stark imagery and an unforgettable slogan to combat drink driving. The goal was clear: to make people reconsider even one drink if they planned on getting behind the wheel.

This era of no-nonsense, blunt advertising set the stage for the intense, visually impactful campaigns that would follow, making people realise that their actions behind the wheel had real, sometimes deadly, consequences.

Emotional Storytelling in the 1990s

The ‘90s brought a shift toward emotional storytelling, with ads targeting behaviours like speeding and drink driving. Campaigns like “Kill Your Speed. Not a Child” in 1991 became more personal, tapping into emotions to leave a lasting impression, aiming to hit people in the gut. One ad showed the survival chances of a child at different speeds, making viewers confront the very real consequences of their choices behind the wheel.

In 1993, the “Drinking and Driving Wrecks Christmas” campaign took a similar approach, showing how a family holiday could be torn apart by a drink-driving crash. Ads through the 90s resonated because they struck at the heart of what many people hold dear: young children and families.

The Digital Era: 2000s–2010s

The rise of the internet brought a new dimension to road safety campaigns, allowing them to reach audiences not just on TV or radio, but across social media and online platforms as well. THINK! emerged as a brand name for government road safety efforts, spanning everything from drink driving to distracted driving. Ads like “THINK! Slow Down” in 2001 demonstrated, once again, how a small difference in speed could mean the difference between life and death.

By using multiple channels, these campaigns were able to reach a wide audience and keep road safety at the front of people’s minds.

Technology and Modern Messaging: The 2010s To Today

Recently, road safety ads have moved even further into digital territory, making use of everything from virtual reality to interactive experiences. The goal today is to immerse viewers, making them feel the real, often devastating consequences of unsafe driving. Campaigns addressing newer issues, like the dangers of using smartphones while driving, are vital as technology becomes more and more ingrained in our daily lives.

Today’s campaigns often focus on different road users, too – pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists are all included, as they’re especially vulnerable. And with tools like data analytics, campaign creators can better understand which messages are truly effective and adjust their approach.

Road Safety Ads Are Still Important

Since the 1950s, UK road safety ads have come a long way, evolving from basic educational messages into powerful, tech-savvy campaigns. However, statistics reveal there’s still a long road ahead. Organisations like Brake and RoadPeace keep pushing to reduce fatalities, especially through events like Road Safety Week.

While modern vehicles come with advanced safety features and technology, ultimately, it’s our own behaviour that plays the biggest role in road safety. We still need to THINK! before we get behind the wheel, taking a moment to consider our speed, our seat belts, distractions, and all the choices that impact others’ lives.

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